FDE moves to rationalise pre-primary class nomenclature amid reservations

Islamabad : The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) has set up a committee to review the titles and structures of pre-primary classes in Islamabad’s public schools and colleges under its jurisdiction.

The move draws reservations from teachers over the regulator’s focus on changing labels instead of improving educational quality.

They have called for greater emphasis on uniform standards, curriculum, trained teachers and learning outcomes for children enrolled in Prep, EC-I, ECE-II, Montessori and other pre-primary arrangements.

Officials justify the initiative, saying it will bring uniformity to the existing nomenclature and address disparities arising from overlapping terminology.

The committee will be headed by the FDE deputy director general (policy) as convener, while the director (academics) will serve as its member and secretary. The director (schools), director (colleges), director (P&D) and deputy director (legal) have also been included as members.

According to its terms of reference, the committee will examine the academic, functional and legal aspects of existing pre-Class-I arrangements and determine whether the proposed changes involve merely standardising titles or require a broader restructuring of early childhood education. It will also examine the possible impact of the proposed changes on admission criteria, age requirements, curriculum, assessment mechanisms, teacher deployment and service structures.

The committee has further been tasked with identifying the approvals required from the Ministry of Federal Education, Establishment Division and Finance Division. It will also examine how any changes can be incorporated into existing FDE databases, including EMIS and HRMIS, without disturbing historical records. The committee is expected to submit its recommendations, along with draft notifications, for formal implementation.

The exercise has drawn reservations from teachers, who questioned whether changing the titles of pre-primary classes should take precedence over addressing differences in educational quality.